The Bright Idea Fairy, July 11, 2010

Since I first got here, I’ve noticed that people that are about to depart seem to get these bright ideas about how things ought to be. They scurry around trying to accomplish all these new ideas, or try to convince those that will be here for a while that they ought to do them. They go around to the leadership to sell their ideas, thinking that if the leadership buys off on it, then those that are left will have to do it. We see this again and again, and all the while, I keep thinking “why didn’t you do that while you were here”?

Well, it happened. I’ve been visited by the bright idea fairy. It is like she came flittering around with fairy dust, and now I have clarity on a few things that need to be done, or need to be done differently. As I try to make things happen, I can see the look in the faces of those that will be left behind when I leave…they are thinking “not her, too”. Alas, that is the nature of the beast when you have six month rotations. It takes that long to meet the right people and get the right momentum going. I’ve also noticed that people are more likely to speak their mind when they are a short timer, but this hasn’t been a problem for me!

Life does have its way of slowing us down...I am feeling those tugs within my body saying 'enough'. My right hamstring is still being fussy and my left knee is achier than it should be. I know I need to stay down, rest, but it is not real practical here. I did quit work at--egads--8:45 pm on Saturday night. So, it was only a 13 hour day, and that is a break.

I've only got 10 days left here in Kabul and before now, if I would have left that early, I would have felt guilty. You know I am still very much catholic in that my prime motivation is to avoid guilt. Since I've only got 10 days left, I am over feeling guilty...others need to pick up the slack. Did I tell you that I am a recovering catholic? This means that I've learned to rationalize my behavior...that is a purely man made skill! 

Speaking of rationalizing behaviors, bad behaviors in particular, I have to tell you that this Headquarters has some really silly stuff going on. The power of the mind to convince oneself that certain behaviors and actions are ok is amazing. I have run into a few folks that prove that if you never look inward, never self examine and never internalize anything, you can live in a state of bliss where nothing is your job, and nothing is your fault. This proves, of course, that ignorance is bliss. Further, if one refuses to learn or just does not learn, then there are no issues, and nothing needs to be worked, and life is good (that bliss thing again). These constitute the wedded bliss of bad behaviors--put them together, and if you can live with yourself, this deployment wouldn't be so bad after all. This brings me back to the power of the mind to get what it wants.


The Fourth of July Formation